Ion controlled inhaling device



Dec. 25, 1962 w. w. HICKS ETAL 3,070,100

ION CONTROLLED INHALING DEVICE Filed March 25, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l F1[5 IL /4 8 H n/M 2 /Z"" E3 u INVENTORS Wi/Uam Wes/6g Hicks BY Ja/m C. Bea/(eff ,4 TTORNEYS Dec. 25, 1962 w. w. HICKS ETAL ION CONTROLLED INHALING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 1957 wm/ @wu INVENTORJAI I V/W/am Wes/eg H/c/a' BY John C flee/(eff A TTOR/Vf Y5 United States Patent ()1 3,070,100 ION CONTROLLED INHALING DEVICE William Wesley Hicks, San Francisco, and John C. Beckett, Keutfield, Califi; Wells Fargo Bank American Trust Company, a corporation, and E. P. Kayser, executors of said William W. Hicks, deceased, assignors to John C. Beckett, Palo Alto, Calif.

Filed Mar. 25, 1957, Ser. No. 648,238 4 Claims. (Cl. 131-200) This invention relates generally to an inhaling device and more particularly to an ion controlled inhaling device. It has been found that tobacco smoke causes irritation of the throat and other membranes which come in contact with smoke particles within the smoke. By passing the smoke through an area containing an excess of negative ions, it has been found that any smoke particles carrying positive charges are neutralized and other neutral smoke particles are negatively charged. It is believed that smoke so treated is less irritating to the throat and other membranes.

In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide an inhaling device in which the inhaled air is passed through an excess of ions of one charge.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an inhaling device of the above character which is particularly useful for neutralizing positively charged smoke particles and for placing a negative charge on the smoke particles carrying no charge.

Another object or the invention is to provide an ion controlled inhaling device of the above character which serves to reduce irritation of the throat and other membranes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ion controlled inhaling device of the above character which is relatively light and compact.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ion controlled inhaling device of the above character which is self-contained.

Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiment has been set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 11 of FIGURE 2 showing an ion controlled inhaling device embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the inhaling device shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the inhaling device shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a partial view of another embodiment of our inhaling device with one section removed.

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a cross sectional view of another inhaling device embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 7 is a front elevational view of the inhaling device shown in FIGURE 6.

In accordance with the present invention, we provide an inhaling device such as a cigarette holder having a passage therein for the flow of the smoke which is drawn from the lighted cigarette through the cigarette holder. Radioactive means is mounted within the holder on one side of the passage for ionizing the air in the vicinity of the radioactive source to produce positive and negative ions. The radioactive means also serves as an electrode and carries a charge of one sign or polarity. An additional electrode is mounted within the holder on the opposite side of the passage and carries a charge of opposite 3,070,100 Patented Dec. 25, 1962 sign or polarity. The electrostatic field between the electrodes separates the ions as they are created by the radioactive means. The ions of the sign opposite that of the sign of the charge on the radioactive means are collected by the radioactive means and the ions of the same sign as that of the charge of the radioactive means are repulsed from the radioactive means and follow the electrostatic flux lines towards the additional electrode and pass through the smoke stream which is drawn through the cigarette holder. The ions drawn through the smoke stream neutralize smoke particles of opposite sign and place a charge of the same sign on smoke particles.

The embodiment of our invention shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing is shown in the form of a cigarette holder and consists of a body 10 of one piece construction and formed from a suitable material such as hard rubber or plastic. The body 10 is provided with a centrally disposed cylindrical extension 11 which forms an inlet passage 12. The body is formed with a pair of recesses 13 and 14 disposed on opposite sides of the central passage 12 and opening into a central passage or chamber 16. The body is also formed with a stem-like portion that has an outlet passage 18 which communicates with the chamber 16. The inlets to each of the recesses 13 and 14 are normally closed by screw plugs 19 and 21. Screw plug 21 is provided with a bleed orifice 22 for a purpose hereinafter described.

Suitable means is mounted within the body for ionizing at least a portion of the air within the body of the cigarette holder. Such means can consist of a radioactive member 23 mounted in the plug 21. The radioactive member can be comprised of any suitable radioactive material, as for example, tritium foil, manufactured by the US. Radium Corporation of New York, New York. In this instance, the radioactive member 23 is provided with a bleed orifice 24 which is in registration with the orifice 22 in the screw plug 21.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, the radioactive member 23 it formed of tritium foil, emits soft beta particles which serve to ionize the air in the immediate vicinity of the radioactive member to cause the production of positive and negative ions within the recess 13 and the chamber 16.

It will be noted that the radioactive member 23 is generally disposed on one side of the central passage 16 which carries the smoke laden air. The radioactive member 23 serves as an electrode as hereinafter described. An additional electrode 27 is mounted within the body and is generally disposed on the opposite side of the passage 16 away from the radioactive member 23. The electrode 27 can be formed of any suitable material such as stainless steel and can be mounted within the body in any suitable manner such as having one end fixed to the extension 11 and the other end mounted adjacent an abutment 10a formed on the body 10.

To create a suitable electrostatic field between the electrode 27 and the radioactive member 23, a. battery 28 is mounted within the recess 14. The battery can be of any suitable type such as the sub-miniature, volt solid electrolyte battery manufactured by the General Electric Company. One terminal of the battery engages the electrode 27 and the other terminal of the battery engages a contact plate 29 carried by the plug 10. The contact plate 29 engages a contact 31 which is connected by a conductor (not shown) to a contact 32. Contact 32 is engaged by the radioactive metallic foil member 23 carried by the plug 21.

As shown, the central passage 12 has been formed to receive a conventional filter 34 of the type used in cigarette holders. The outer end of the passage 12 has been formed to receive the end of a cigarette 36.

Operation of this embodiment of our invention may now be briefly described as follows: Let it be assumed that the battery 28 is mounted in the recess 14 in such a manner that a positive charge is placed on the electrode 27 and that a negative charge is placed on the radioactive member 23. As suction is applied to the passage 18 and smoke is drawn from the cigarette 36 through the inlet passage 12, the smoke will flow through passages 16 and 18.

It is generally understood that smoke particles usually carry no charge. However, it is very likely that air drawn through the cigarette will contain particles which carry a positive charge and for that reason the smoke from the cigarette may include positively charged particles.

The radioactive source in this case continuously emits soft beta particles which serve to ionize the air in a limited zone adjacent the radioactive source. The electrostatic field between the radioactive source and the electrode 27 serves to immediately separate the ions when they are created. When the radioactive member 23 carries a negative charge and the additional electrode carries a positive charge, the negatively charged radioactive member repulses the negative ions and collects the positive ions. The repulsed negative ions follow the electrostatic flux lines towards the additional positive electrode. At the same time that smoke is drawn 'from the cigarette 36 into the passage 16, a. small quantity of air is drawn through the bleed orifices 22 and 24 and help to carry the negative ions towards the additional electrode 27. However, during their travel towards the additional electrode, the negative ions are intercepted by the smoke stream in the passage 16. The intercepted negative ions neutralize any positively charged smoke particles and negatively charge any neutral smoke particles within the smoke stream. Because of this action of the negative ions, the smoke stream drawn into the outlet passage 18 and into the mouth, carries no positively charged particles and an excess of negatively charged particles. It is believed that such smoke is much less irritating to the throat and other sensitive membranes coming in con-tact with the smoke.

Another embodiment of our invention is shown in FIGURES 4 and and is substantially identical to the embodiment of our invention shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 except that the body 37 is formed in two sections 37a and 37b. The sections 37a and 37b are fastened together by threaded male and female members 33 and 39. Since the sections 37a and 3711 can be easily S6111 arated, no special means must be provided such as the plug 19 in FIGURE 1 for insertion and removal of the battery 28. Operation of this embodiment of our device is substantially identical to that shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3.

Another embodiment of our invention is shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 and consists of a cigarette holder having a body 41 having a passage 42 extending the length thereof. A filter 43 of conventional type is mounted within the passage. The body is formed to provide a second passage 44 which inthis instance has been provided below the passage 42. The passage 44 is normally closed by a screw plug 46 having a bleed orifice 47. Ion generating means of the type hereinbefore described is mounted within the passage 44 and consists of a radioactive member 48 mounted on the screw plug 46 and provided with an orifice 51.. The radioactive member 48 and an additional electrode 49 are connected to a suitable power supply (not shown) for creating an electrostatic field between the electrode 49 and the radioactive member for a purpose hereinafter described. The power supply may be of the type hereinbefore described and may be carried on the person of the wearer. Conductors 53 and 54 leading from the power supply or battery are connected to the collecting electrode 49 and the radioactive member 48 as shown.

Operation of this embodiment of our device is substanitially identical to that hereinbefore described for the other embodiments of our invention.

It is apparent from the foregoing that we have provided a novel ion-controlled inhaling device which insures that any particles inhaled will be either neutralized or carry a charge of only one sign. The device is particularly useful for smokers suflering from throat irritations and the like and can be incorporated in pipes and cigar holders as well as cigarette holders. The device can be either provided with a self-contained power supply or a power supply which may be carried on the person. The device is also light and compact which facilitates its use.

We claim:

1. In an ion controlled smoking device, a body having a portion thereof adapted to be inserted in the mouth whereby the body may be carried by clamping the jaws of a smoker upon said portion, said body being formed to accommodate the material to be smoked, said body having a passage therein through which smoke can be drawn from the burned material into the mouth of the user, means mounted within the body to cause the production of positive and negative ions within the body, and 1 163115 within the body creating an electrostatic field extending across said passage, said electrostatic field causing negative ions to follow the electrostatic flux lines across said passage so that the negative ions become intermixed with smoke as it is drawn through the body, the electrostatic field being sufiiciently weak so that the negative ions are carried with the smoke into the mouth of the user.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein said means creating an electrostatic field is mounted within said body to give substantially unimpeded fiow to the passage of smoke through said body.

3. In an ion con-trolled smoking device, a body having a portion thereof adapted to be inserted into the mouth of the user whereby the body may be carried by clamping the jaws of the user on said portion, said body being formed to accommodate the material to be smoked, said body having a passage therein through which smoke can be drawn from the burning material into the mouth of the user, a radioactive source ionizing air within the body to cause the production of positive and negative ions within the body, and means mounted Within the body includin a pair of positive and negative electrodes mounted on opposite sides of said passage creating an electrostatic field extending through said passage, the ions being generated in the vicinity of the negative electrode to facilitate collection of the positive ions, the negative ions following the electrostatic fiux lines towards the positive electrode and passing into the smoke being drawn through said passage, the velocity of the smoke being such that the negative ions are swept with the smoke into the mouth of the user, said negative ions serving to neutralize any positive charged particles in the smoke.

4. A device as in claim 3 wherein said radioactive member serves as the negative electrode.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,124,130 Van DWcnter July '19, 1938 2,307,573 Cullen Ian. 5, 1943 2,381,455 Jacob Aug. 7, 1945 2,594,777 Hicks Apr. 29, 1952 2,701,571 Dittrich Feb. 8, 1955 2,791,224 Jones May 7, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 722,933 Great Britain Feb. 2, 1955 

